Coach in the pool with 3 children floating on pool noodles

Swimming is fun. It’s a life skill that helps you to be safe, adventurous and confident in the water. It also opens doors to a range of opportunities and water sports. Not only that, it's also a great form of exercise to keep you fit and active whatever your age or ability.

You can train to swim at a competitive level or you can enjoy a few lengths at your local pool. Whatever level you choose, we have swimming pools across the city so you will never be far away from one. Find your nearest one here. 

A swimming coach helping a child in the pool who is holding a float

Learn to Swim

Swimming is one of the most important skills you can learn. Our Learn to Swim programme is ideal for all abilities and a great introduction to the water.

We offer lessons for everyone, from 3 years to adults. There are also flexible payment options to suit everyone.

Our programme

We have a range of programmes to develop confidence and core skills that can be used in the water.
Our teachers are qualified to support every child as they learn to swim. We use the Scottish Swimming National Framework across all our pools in the city. We offer an inclusive programme of lessons and where possible, we will always try to include your child in a class with their peers.

Prior to joining we ask all parents to consider their child’s individual ability to take group instruction, their comfort within a group environment (of between 8 and 10 other swimmers) and their safety working as an independent learner (i.e. not requiring individual support/guidance) as this is essential to their learning environment and progress within swimming lessons.

If you feel your child would benefit from a more tailored learning environment, please speak to our colleagues within the Disability Learn to Swim Programme

Our programme of pre-school swimming lessons is for children aged between 3 and 5 years old. Children will develop confidence and core skills that they need to be safe in the water in a smaller group setting of between 5 and 6 swimmers.

This programme focuses on water confidence and develops core skills without adult help.

To book, please call the venue you wish to attend or drop in and speak to the team at reception. Lessons are available in the following venues:

Glasgow Club Gorbals (0141 276 1490 - option 3):

Tuesday
Class 1 12:55-1:35pm
Class 2 1:40-2:20pm
Class 3 2:25-3:05pm

We also offer some evening and weekend classes. Please contact our reception team for times and availability.

Glasgow Club Springburn (0141 276 1690):

Tuesday
Class 1 12:10-12:50pm
Class 2 12:55-1:35pm
Class 3 1:40-2:20pm
Class 4 2:25-3:05pm

We also offer some evening and weekend classes. Please contact our reception team for times and availability.

Glasgow Club Bellahouston (0141 1276 0767 - option 3):

Thursday
Class 1 12:10-12:50pm
Class 2 12:55-1:35pm
Class 3 1:40-2:20pm
Class 4 2:25-3:05pm

We also offer some evening classes on a Sunday. Please contact our reception team for times and availability.

Glasgow Club Scotstoun (0141 276 1620 - option 5):

Wednesday and Thursday
Class 1 11:40-12:20pm
Class 2 12:25-1:05pm
Class 3 1:10-1:50pm
Class 4 1:55-2:35pm

Glasgow Club Tollcross (0141 276 8282 - option 5):

Monday, Wednesday and Friday 12:10-12:50pm
Monday, Wednesday & Friday 12:55-1:35pm
Monday, Wednesday & Friday 1:40-2:20pm
Monday, Wednesday & Friday 2:25-3:05pm

We also offer some evening classes on a Monday and Friday. Please contact our reception team for times and availability.

These lessons are for children who attend school. Children will work through the five different levels of the programme to become competent and confident swimmers.

New members are welcome, but spaces are limited and lessons are in high demand. You can book in person or by phone.

We are currently offering lessons in the following venues:

Glasgow Club Scotstoun (0141 276 1620 - option 5)

Wednesday, Thursday

Glasgow Club Pollok (0141 276 6878)
Tuesday

Glasgow Club Bellahouston (0141 276 0767 - option 3)
Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday

Glasgow Club Gorbals (0141 276 1490 - option 3)
Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday

Glasgow Club Tollcross (0141 276 8282 - option 5)
Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday

Glasgow Club Springburn (0141 276 1690)
Tuesday, Saturday

Glasgow Club Maryhill (0141 276 5300)
Monday, Friday, Sunday

We offer a small programme of adult beginner and improver lessons in selected venues in a group environment of between 8 and 12 adults (aged 16yrs+)

These are suitable for complete beginners who are looking to improve their skills in the water.

To book, please call the venue you wish to attend or drop in and speak to the team at reception. Lessons are available in the following venues:

Glasgow Club Springburn (0141 276 1690)
Tuesday 7:50-8:30pm

Glasgow Club Bellahouston (0141 276 0767 - option 3)
Wednesday 7-7:40pm
Thursday 7:50-8:30pm

Glasgow Club Tollcross (0141 276 8282 - option 5)
Friday 7-7:40pm

Glasgow Club Maryhill (0141 276 5300)
Friday 7:10-7:40pm

Learn 2

Sign up for our swim lesson management system, Learn 2. It allows you to make payments and track the progress of those taking lessons.
Find out more

Learn to Swim Co-Ordinators

Our dedicated Learn to Swim co-ordinators manage our swimming programmes. They can help with any enquiries about your membership, payments or lessons.

Venue

Swim Co-Ordinator

Email Address

GC Scotstoun

GC Gorbals

Andrew Wishart

andrew.wishart@glasgowlife.org.uk 

GC Bellahouston

GC Springburn

Jaclyn Duncan

Jaclyn.duncan@glasgowlife.org.uk 

GC Maryhill

GC Pollok

 

Andy Hepburn

andy.hepburn@glasgowlife.org.uk 

GC Tollcross

Jodie Wiseman

jodie.wiseman@glasgowlife.org.uk

Image gallery

Three children playing in the water of a swimming pool
Swimming at Glasgow Life
A swimming coach talking to two young children while in the pool
Swimming at Glasgow Life
Two children laughing and splashing a swimming coach while in the pool
Swimming at Glasgow Life
A parent and child during a swimming lesson
Swimming at Glasgow Life
Two children smiling while playing in a swimming pool together
Swimming at Glasgow Life
A swimming coach helping a parent put armbands on a child
Swimming at Glasgow Life

Payment options

Joining our programme is easy. You can book at any point, subject to availability.

There are two simple payment methods described below.

Spread the cost over the year with 12 monthly payments.

Benefits of Direct Debit include:

  • Pay for 45 lessons and we will deliver up to 48 lessons per year (up to 3 free lessons)
  • No queuing to re-book as your child will remain in their class until they are ready to progress to the next level
  • Access to our online Home Portal to keep track of your child's progress
  • Personalised certificate when your child progresses to the next level
  • Access to unlimited leisure swimming within any of our twelve pools for the Learn to Swim member

Price (per month)

  • Full Price: Child £26 / Adult £30
  • Concession: Child £19 / Adult £21

 

This option allows you to pay upfront for lessons. Lessons must be purchased in multiples of 10 and are also available as an annual payment (48 weeks).

Benefits of top-up include:

  • No queuing to re-book. Your child will remain in their class until they are ready to progress to the next level. This is so long as you have top-up credits on your account

  • Access to our online Home Portal to keep track of you/your child's progress

  • You can make top-ups at any time at reception or online through your Home Portal account

  • You can redeem top-up credits in consecutive weeks for the duration of the credits

  • You will receive a personalised certificate when your child progresses to the next level

Price (per 10 credits)

  • Full Price: Child £70 / Adult £80
  • Concession: Child £50 / Adult £55
Notification

If you need more details on any of these classes, please contact our team by emailing swimming@glasgowlife.org.uk

Aims and objectives

Find out more about our Learn to Swim programme.

Become water confident and develop core aquatic skills without adult help.

  • Introduce non-swimmers to water and establish an understanding of safety
  • Develop and progress water confidence
  • Establish an understanding of basic core aquatic skills
  • Encourage independent movement
  • Develop skills through enjoyment, fun and self-discovery

  • Develop confidence and ability to perform a wide range of core skills without buoyancy aids
  • Develop the basic technique of four strokes
  • Introduce the basic technique of sculling
  • Develop balance and buoyancy

  • Introduce and progress new core aquatic skills
  • Develop stroke technique to include all four strokes
  • Introduction to diving
  • Develop awareness through a variety of core aquatic skills

Introduce advanced stroke technique.

  • Further develop competency in all four strokes
  • Development of diving
  • Further develop butterfly and breaststroke aiming to achieve legal
    technique

Improve the quality of stroke technique, introduce multi-aquatic skills/disciplines and basic lifesaving skills.

  • Show competent technique in all four strokes
  • Introduce lifesaving skills and basic aquatic discipline skills
  • Provide basic skills to enable progression into all aquatic disciplines including life-saving

Improve and maintain stroke technique over distance. Also develop basic training and race skills producing a swimmer who is ‘Club Ready’.

  • Advance swimming stamina in all four strokes while maintaining technique
  • Improve efficiency in all four strokes
  • Develop turn technique for all four strokes
  • Knowledge and understanding of club training practices